The efficacy of pulsed-xenon ultraviolet light technology on Candida auris.

BACKGROUND: Candida auris is an emerging, often multi-resistant, yeast that causes invasive infections in healthcare settings. Patients may be colonized for months and C. auris has been shown to remain viable on surfaces for at least 14 days. It is widely considered that the environment may be a reservoir for transmission of C. auris. The efficacy of pulsed-xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) mobile devices on C. auris has not been tested previously. In a laboratory setting, we tested efficacy of a PX-UV system on C. auris and C. parapsilosis, another candida known to be responsible for outbreaks in healthcare settings and survive for at least 28 days in the environment. METHODS: Cultures and growth of clinical strains of C. parapsilosis and C. auris was carried out in a broth liquid culture medium at 37 °C until concentration ranges 10 5-10 6 colony-forming units (CFUs) per millilitre were obtained. Glass slides were inoculated with 10 µl of C. auris stock culture and allowed to dry. Slides were positioned perpendicular to the floor at a distance of 1.25 m from the floor. Exposure time were run uninterrupted for 5-, 10- and 15-min cycles at 1- and 2-m distance. RESULTS: There was a 99.4% reduction in C. auris CFU after a 5-min cycle at 1-m distance, and 99.6% reduction after a 10-min cycle at 2-m distance. There was a 98.5% reduction in C. parapsilosis CFU after a 5-min cycle at 1-m distance, and 95.2% reduction after a 10-min cycle at 2-m distance. CONCLUSIONS: The PX-UV mobile device is easy to use and has short cycle times that makes it easier to disinfect all areas outside the room where the patient received care. Further studies are needed in hospital environment, to assess the cumulative impact of repeated sessions.

A dimorphic fungus causing disseminated infection in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: The genus emmonsia contains three species that are associated with human disease. Emmonsia crescens and Emmonsia parva are the agents that cause adiaspiromycosis, and one human case of Emmonsia pasteuriana infection has been described. We report a fungal pathogen within the genus emmonsia that is most closely related to E. pasteuriana in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults in South Africa. METHODS: Between July 2008 and July 2011, we conducted enhanced surveillance to identify the cause of systemic, dimorphic fungal infections in patients presenting to Groote Schuur Hospital and other hospitals affiliated with the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. DNA sequencing was used to identify pathogenic fungi. RESULTS: A total of 24 cases of dimorphic fungal infection were diagnosed, 13 of which were caused by an emmonsia species. All 13 patients were HIV-infected, with a median CD4+ T-cell count of 16 cells per cubic millimeter (interquartile range, 10 to 44), and all had evidence of disseminated fungal disease. Three patients died soon after presentation, but the others had a good response to a variety of antifungal agents and antiretroviral therapy. Phylogenetic analysis of five genes (LSU, ITS1-2, and the genes encoding actin, ß-tubulin, and intein PRP8) revealed that this fungus belongs in the genus emmonsia and is most closely related to E. pasteuriana. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that these isolates of an emmonsia species represent a new species of dimorphic fungus that is pathogenic to humans. The species appears to be an important cause of infections in Cape Town.